Skills of an Active Citizen: Towards an Inclusive Society

The current challenge in many Western countries is populist discourse on immigration and globalization. At the same time, globalization and its different aspects are present in many concrete ways in every corner of the world. Popular discourse is often built on simplified arguments lacking historical and societal contexts and based on strong oppositions between “we” and “they”.

The skills of an active citizen are needed! What does an active citizen need to do and know? On the one hand, there is a need to deconstruct these confrontations, and on the other hand, there is a need to build bridges between different perspectives. This is the principal goal of this course. The more specific objectives are:

• to examine how populist discussion around and against immigration is created and what kind of arguments and contexts it is constructed upon
• to learn to deconstruct cultural stereotypes, an imaginary “common national culture” and simplified historical narratives
• to learn to observe the environment and societal discussion from a new, reflective perspective and to actively search for new knowledge in various ways
• to recognize discourses that marginalize different groups and to research how power is constructed and maintained in these discourses
• to acquire tools to create dialogical and inclusive practices that make it possible for different groups and individuals to voice their opinions
• to search for, develop and present points of view that are ethically justifiable

The course format is based on a critical and transformative multicultural pedagogy which aims to raise awareness against all kinds of discrimination. This approach challenges the participants to examine knowledge as socially constructed and dynamic, and compares it with the mainstream approach that too often considers knowledge neutral, unambiguous and non-political. Epistemological questions and their contextualization are an important part of the course:

• What is knowledge?
• How do we achieve it?
• Who defines knowledge?
• From whose point of view is it presented?

Reflection is an essential learned skill that is constructed by awareness raising and by analysing different texts and discourses. One’s own position and societal processes and structures need to be understood and critically reflected upon. However, there is an additional need for new dialogue and inclusivity, which are practised via both group and project tasks during the course. How can we create an (working, learning) environment that encourages people to find and use their own voice? How can invisible knowledge be made visible and available to a wider public? How can people be motivated to participate in a dialogue? Some answers to these questions can be found through project work in co-operation with NGOs, associations, and friendship societies. The theoretical framework of the course arises from the project topics and will be incorporated into the course content through problem-oriented learning.

The course will be carried out by a team of professionals from various fields. Coordinating teacher: Eila Isotalus, MA (intercultural competence, critical and transformative multicultural pedagogy). Other supervisors: Sarri Vuorisalo-Tiitinen, PhD (critical discourse analysis, gender studies), Camilla Haavisto, PhD (media research; to be confirmed)) and (one more to be suggested).

Please direct any questions concerning the content of this course to the coordinator, Ms. Eila Isotalus, eila.isotalus(at)unidos.fi. Any questions on the general arrangements (accommodation, scholarship, etc.) should be addressed to the Summer School's office at summer-school@helsinki.fi.